Google to Pay £260 Million to Settle App Developer Class Action
Google agreed to pay £260 million to settle a UK class action alleging excessive Play Store commissions for app developers.Summary
Alphabet Inc.'s Google has agreed to pay £260 million ($354 million) to settle a UK class action lawsuit accusing the company of abusing its dominance and imposing excessive commissions on app developers through its Play Store. The claim, brought on behalf of UK app developers by Barry Rodger, a competition law professor, alleges that Google charged unfair fees for transactions via the Play Store. The Competition Appeal Tribunal will review the settlement at a September hearing. Eligible developers who sold digital content through Play Store-distributed apps between August 2018 and the present may receive compensation if they do not opt out. Damien Geradin, representing the developers, noted this is the largest settlement under the UK’s 2015 class action regime for competition claims. A separate class action involving millions of Android users in the UK remains pending. Google did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The settlement was reported by Bloomberg.
(Source：Deccan Chronicle)